As you know, the start of professional major league men's baseball season is just around the corner. And just around that corner is the start of professional fast-pitch women's softball. On May 29th, the NPF's Chicago Bandits face the Rockford Thunder on opening night. We ... uh, I ... here at CBRAT
Returning to the Bandits this season is ace flamethrowing pitcher Jennie Finch -- you know her, you love her, you just don't want to find yourself in the batter's box facing her. For their part, the Rockford Thunder have added Olympic gold-medalist and all-around superstar Cat Osterman to their roster, so things should be interesting.
New to the Bandits team this season is the early front-runner for "Best Chicago Sports Team Member Name" for 2007 -- sorry, Rocky Cherry, you bane bumped down to 2nd place (although you still should get an ice cream flavor named after you).
Yeah, I'm referring to outfielder Autumn Champion. Her name sounds kind of like a character in a Thomas Pynchon novel, but, nope, she's a softball player:
The Bandits have acquired 2006 All NPF Team selection, Autumn Champion from the folded Arizona Heat. This two year veteran brings both consistancy and speed to the lineup. She led the Heat in batting average with a redhot .403 and stolen bases with 18. In 72 at bats, Champion had 11 runs, 29 hits, nine RBI, one double, one triple and four walks.
Champion played her college ball for the University of Arizona Wildcats. She was a two time NFCA first team All-American selection. She also earned Pac-10 All-Academic honors and was named to the ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District VIII team.
I can't find information on the Bandits' website about the broadcast schedule for this season, but I watched several Bandits games on Comcast Sports Net last summer, and I am definitely a fan. If you haven't yet followed this sport, give it a chance. And tell them Stronger Than Dirt sent you.
1 comment:
Pete: This is Stephen Perkins here, a friend of John R's. I'm writing a short introduction to a publication that will feature a small selection of his b/w photocopy works. I have a question: was it just you and John who worked on Even Paranoics Can Have Enemies or did others also? I have a listing from John and he lists Gene White as well. Did various people work on this publication at different times? Any clarification would be helpful. Thanks!
perkinss@uwgb.edu
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